Several devices are known where active or aromatic substances are introduced in a cigarette in order to modify its taste or to confer additional properties. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,773 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,226 describe mechanisms for humidifying cigarette smoke by including rupturable capsules or micro-capsules filled with a liquid, within the filter of the cigarette. The smoker may obtain the humidification by squeezing the filter to rupture the capsules, or may leave the capsules unruptured to inhale dry smoke. The liquid incorporated in the capsules may contain flavourings or a synthetic saliva solution, for example.
It is also known to include a substance exhibiting medicinal properties in the tobacco of the cigarette. U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,485 discloses the inclusion of interferon into the tobacco of a cigarette for administering it directly to the lungs of the smoker.
Taurine (or 2-aminoethane sulfonic acid) is an amino acid having a low toxicity, possessing some known pharmacological properties which may be useful in therapy for the treatment of congestive heart failure, but the activity of taurine is very low and it cannot be efficiently used as a drug. Taurine amides showing mucolytic, hepatoprotective, detoxicant and normolipemizing properties are described in European patent application 307,788.